majority rule?

We just finished our unit on the Articles of Confederation and the writing of the Constitution. As we read the publications of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists on the merits and dangers of the new Constitution, it gave me a clearer understanding as to why American democracy seems to be ineffective in the 21st century. I believe both parties—Democrat and Republican have strayed from the fundamental ideas James Madison and the founding fathers put forth as they crafted the Constitution. It seems that we believe that in a democracy that can be characterized by the phrase “the majority rules”. By that standard, the winning party feels it has “mandate” to implement its platform, because it is what the “majority has willed”. However, that was never what our founding fathers meant to happen. James Madison once said that “majoritarian tyranny was the worst form of tyranny”. He feared that the will of the majority—if unchecked, would trample on the liberty of the minority. For that reason he claimed that our democracy should be centered around “majority rules, but with minority rights”. What does that mean? I believe that Madison felt that the majority should rule, but that power required the majority to consider the views of the minority. That ideal made American democracy unique. American democracy demands that we compromise and try to build consensus in order to insure all people are heard. Is that form of democracy being reflected in our local, state, and national governments? I think not. Consider the Wake County school board. Five newly elected members now hold a slim majority. They feel it is their right to do what their constituents want—dismantle diversity policies, reduce busing, and commit our county to neighborhood schools that will surely result in resegregation. This may be “the will of the majority”, but it clearly doesn’t take the views of the minority into consideration. On the national level, many Republicans feel that Obama is trying to “ram the ideas of the liberal Democrats down the throats of the nation”. They claim they are being left out of the discussion on major legislation. This, too, might be seen as “majoritarian tyranny". In Federalist #51, James Madison stated that “if men were angels” we would not need any government. But it is precisely the fact that democracy is made up of men—men who by nature are flawed—that we need to practice compromise. Compromise requires all people to value and respect each other. Compromise insures that government will reflect the will of all people. Compromise and consensus will result in a government that will pursue the “common good” rather than the promoting the selfish interests of the individual. That is the type of democracy that our founding fathers wanted for America. John Kennedy summarized that ideal with his modern-day request, “ask not what your country can do for you, but rather what can you do for your country.” If American democracy is going to get back on track, we must put aside petty jealousies and personal pursuits and join together to make us a “great society”, a nation that will stand for justice, equality, freedom, and opportunity for all; not just the “majority”—whatever that might mean.